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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23435881">Juno Steel &amp; The Man With Fox's Teeth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Gay, M/M, Sad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:42:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23435881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Juno Steel has always known how to count on himself. Relying on others... not so much. His people skills are flawed on the best of days and after being reunited with Peter Nureyev, they're stuck together now. Lost without service, unable to call for backup from Buddy, he needs to fully trust him if he ever wants to see daylight again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Buddy Aurinko &amp; Aurinko Crime Family, Buddy Aurinko/Vespa, Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Juno Steel &amp; The Man With Fox's Teeth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>!!!THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON THREE OF THE PENUMBRA PODCAST!!!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Steel &amp; Nureyev have to invade a black market undercover to get what they need.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peter Nureyev. A man with many names &amp; many faces. Depending on the time of day and who he's dealing with, he changes to a different person completely. A man who used to be a thief without a name, until he met me. And I still consider myself the luckiest damn human in the galaxy to have him here with me.</p><p>My name is Juno Steel and up until about six months ago, I was a Private Eye for the sugar-coated masquerade that was Hyperin City. But once I got played for one too many corrupt people in power for my liking, I decided to call it quits. Now I go wherever I want or wherever Buddy says the next heist will take us.</p><p>And today that led us here; Outside the Kexis Kova underground market on the Fifth Nebula. The mission was simple in theory: All we had to do was get inside, find our target and tell him a secret magic word so he can take us to ancient scroll, swipe it, and get out. The problem was the fact that the Kexis Kova market was the biggest physical market for stolen goods on this side of the galaxy. Hundreds, if not thousands of people travel from all over the galaxy to search for the rarest ancient relics but everything was incredibly over-priced. You could go to the bathroom and they'll charge you 10,000 creds for the toilet paper you just used and the water you just flushed.</p><p>The worst part of it all; No service. We'd be completely on our own.</p><p>I was standing in the middle of it all with Peter Nureyev. Peter Nureyev who I barely knew if I could still trust. Almost every fatal encounter I've had in the past year had something to do with Nureyev, so much so that I've been forced to have faith in him in the past. It was either that or death. You could say I went with the lesser of two evils. Now we had to be a team if we wanted to get out of here successful.</p><p>Hordes of people infested the streets. No matter which way you moved, you'd be touching shoulders with somebody or knocking into someone's chest. I couldn't see much over the towers of people's heads so I just stuck as close as possible to Nureyev.</p><p>"Do you have any idea where we're supposed to be heading?"</p><p>He gave a dry laugh. "If I did, Aeryn dear, we wouldn't be wandering around aimlessly like this."</p><p>That was our cover. Aeryn &amp; Juniper Galliher; The kleptomaniac collector couple with a passion for old maps. I still didn't know why Buddy insisted every time that 'Ransom' and I did a heist, we had to pretend to be a couple. I had a sneaking suspicion she was doing it for her amusement.</p><p>I shifted in the faux fur coat uncomfortably. "Can we hurry it up a little? I don't feel safe being in a crowd like this. You never know who could be watching."</p><p>"It's safer than being out in the open. I guess in that regard it's like a double-edged sword. It can be our greatest ally or our worst enemy but I assure you, Juno, it is much safer in among all these people than if we were jumping across rooftops." He glanced down at me." You look nice, by the way. Buddy has good taste."</p><p>I felt my face heat up.</p><p>We continued to weave our way through the crowd, blurs of faces passing us by. All of them had one thing in common; They all had that steely look of determination in their eyes. A hunger of sorts, like a starved predator trying to find prey in a drought. Everyone here was searching for something and I'm not sure all of them knew what that something was. Past tables full of skulls and shelves stacked high with old vases and other ceramic pieces.</p><p>"It's kinda eerie, isn't it?" I breathed out.</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>"All these people." I plunged my hands into my pocket, feeling the eyes of the world burning holes into me. If all their passing glances didn't bother me, their feet catching on the drag of my dress certainly did. "All their faces seem to be melting together the more of them you pass by. It's so weird. We shouldn't let our guards down for a second."</p><p>Nureyev chuckled. "While I do admit having so many people around can be... daunting, I don't think it's any cause for concern, detective."</p><p>I grumbled. "I'm not a detective anymore, Nureyev. It might do you some good not to mention it, especially in a place like this." I was already getting enough dirty, 'you don't belong', type of looks. The last thing I needed was this gathering of hundreds of criminals to become aware of the fact that there was an ex P.I in the building.</p><p>"Apologies, Juno. Force of habit."</p><p>Damn, I wanted to leave this place. Don't get me wrong, Juno Steel is a lot of things but a quitter doesn't tend to be one of them. But the whole atmosphere of this place just didn't sit right with me. Maybe it was all the civilians around us that could interfere with any aspect of the plan, or maybe it was just my gut. I could've sworn I-</p><p>"Over there. I think that's our guy." Nureyev pointed to a stand right towards the back of the old walls. Sure enough, seated behind it was Kexis Kova, the man behind this whole operation.</p><p>According to Buddy, Kexis Kova was one of the most powerful young adults in the whole galaxy, which wasn't something you'd believe by looking at his face. He barely looked old enough to be out of school. He had quite soft features, pale skin with curly brown hair and a dusting of freckles. The only sign he'd ever got mixed up in the dark underground of crime was a small scar on his bottom lip. From the information Buddy gathered, we know he was sixteen when he ran away from home with nothing but a satchel full of tea-cakes and a pretty stack of daddy's money. After that, he realized with his dad's old connections to some shady people, he could create quite the empire for himself. He's so influential even the cops don't care about the existence of this place; Not that I'm surprised.</p><p>I followed closely behind Nureyev as he approached the table.</p><p>"-as you can see from these scribes here, it dates back to the 2000's Earth days. Scientists and historians alike have theorized that this girl Stacy was a half-alien and the writer was in love with Stacy's mom, an alien overlord of that time." Kexis flickered his dark eyes up at us. "Can you excuse me for a moment? Ah, hello travellers! I don't think I've seen you around these parts before. Who might you be?"</p><p>Nureyev smiled that cunning smile I was so familiar with as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "I'm Juniper Galliher and this charming gem over here is my darling wife, Aeryn."</p><p>Kova grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Charmed to meet you, Aeryn."</p><p>I tried to smile at him sweetly through my gritted teeth, trying not to let the disgust seep into my face. As I glanced over at Nureyev I could tell he was enjoying watching me suffer in a pool of my own awkward.</p><p>He cleared his throat. "We come travellers from the Outer Rim in search of special treasures. I do just have such a habit for shiny things and Aeryn here is looking for a new living room piece for us."</p><p>Kova's eyes shifted in the low light of this underground city. He studied us, looking us up and down. I was just hoping he was as stupid as he was young. "Something shiny, you say? What'd exactly did you have in mind?"</p><p>I gave him a look of fake admiration. "Maybe something... Himalayan?"</p><p>I watched as recognition passed through his eyes with the mention of the codeword. A smirk curled onto my lips. Bingo.</p><p>"Of course, of course! Right this way, gentlemen, right this way!"</p><p>Kexis led us weaving back through the crowd, towards the entrance of the complex.</p><p>And that's when I saw him.</p><p>A familiar face I hadn't seen in so long yet he haunted every single one of my nightmares. Every feature of him was a reminder of the worst decisions I had ever made. A looming figure who stood behind me in my bathroom mirror and when I blinked to see him clearly, he'd disappear. The ghost of all my mistakes. My blood began to curdle as my throat seized up. Tears began to well up in my eyes, and against my better judgement, I sprinted after him, pushing and shoving people out of the way.</p><p>"Aeryn, dear, where are you going?!"</p><p>I ran as fast as a lady could in his six-inch heels. Every cell in my body was screaming at me to go faster. I had to reach him, I had to...</p><p>"BENZAITEN!" I screamed, my throat going hoarse.</p><p>People pushed and shoved me out the way or gave me disgusted looks when I banged into them but I didn't care. I just kept running. Her voice echoed in my head "It's your fault your brother is dead, Juno..." Desperation flooded my brain, influencing my actions. I kept going, trying to dodge all the people crowding the street. "Move it, people! Damn it, never seen a lady run in heels before!?"</p><p>"AERYN!"</p><p>I could hear what I could only assume was Nureyev's feet pounding behind me but I couldn't tell if that was just my heartbeat in my ears. Faster, Steel...Faster!</p><p>That's when my heel got caught in the long, black fabric of my dress. Time seemed to slow as I lost the figure in the crowd and I landed on the concrete, hard. The loose stones grazed up my arm. As I was dusting myself off, Nureyev came and helped me up. Everyone in the market place's eyes were on me.</p><p>Nureyev had an unreadable expression on his face. "Aeryn, are you okay my dear?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah I just... Thought I saw a rare Triltopian gadget in this distance but I must be mistaken." Good job, Steel! Not only did you blow your cover, you could've ruined the whole operation! And for what? Someone you saw that resembles your dead brother? You're losing your touch.</p><p>I could see the doubt lacing his bright eyes. Damn, those bright eyes. Even in the face of danger or looming death, like with Miasma, they were still so bright. It was as if they were beacons of hope in a world shrouded in darkness. Those eyes used to... Still do make me feel a hell of a lot. Just like that, with a single glance, the crashing waves inside my chest went flat. He was a different type of magic.</p><p>Kexis Kova slowly caught up, panting his brains out by the time he reached us. "Woo, for such, ah, sophisticated lady you sure do, huh, run real fast!" He chuckled. "I didn't realize you were so, ah, enthusiastic about your hobby, Mrs Galliher."</p><p>"What can I say, nothing excites me more than a rarity!" I forced a smile as I quickly wiped the tears from my face. You absolute idiot. Of course, it wasn't Benzaiten. He's been twenty years dead. Idiot, idiot, idiot.</p><p>Nureyev watched me with a concerned gaze. "Sorry for the interruption, Mr Kova. If you wouldn't mind still leading us to your stock, it would be highly appreciated."</p><p>His eyes flicked between Nureyev and I. Something in that glint suggested he wasn't as innocent as his face made him out to be. "But of course, this way."</p><p>I stuck as close to Nureyev's side, his arm laced through mine as we weaselled through all the people. If I thought I was getting bad looks before, these were worse. My eyes were glued to the ground as people glared daggers at me. "What was all that about?" Nureyev hissed under his breath. Our talking was masked by the chatter around us, Kexis couldn't hear us.</p><p>"It's fine, it doesn't matter. I just thought I saw someone I knew but it wasn't them."</p><p>He glanced in front of us, then back at me. "Juno, you know I know you too well for you to lie to me. You seem visibly upset."</p><p>"I said drop it!" I hissed, ripping my arm away. His face changed to a look of hurt for a split second before correcting it back to his normal cocky smirk.</p><p>Kexis Kova led us behind one of the stalls. "Just through here boys!"</p><p>"Fascinating!" Nureyev exclaimed. "You keep one of your most valuable items to date just behind one of your stalls?"</p><p>"Oh, no no of course not! It's down there!" He pointed to a small, worn wooden trapdoor in the ground.</p><p>I whispered, "This has 'suspicious' written all over it."</p><p>"Quiet, dear," Nureyev whispered, before flipping his focus back to Kova. "Ah, I see! An underground bunker inside an underground bunker! Very crafty indeed, Mr Kova."</p><p>"Please, just call me Kexis." He insisted. "It's too strange hearing a man older than myself calling me Mister." With a whine and a scrap, Kova flipped the trapdoor up. All I could see inside was the first few rungs of an old metal ladder and then darkness. "After you, gentlemen." He smirked.</p><p>Everything about this was just screaming 'TRAP!'. Do you wanna know how many times a suspect has invited me into a trapdoor and it ended up being a trap? Three times. After the second one, you tend to catch on quickly. Every single one of my hairs was standing on their ends. I hated this feeling, I could hear my heartbeat thundering in my ears. I shot Nureyev a concerned look before he smirked and slid his skinny body through the gap. He began scrambling down the ladder as I was trying to drape enough of my dress together so it wouldn't get caught on anything. Kova followed closely behind us; I made sure of that.</p><p>The room we had descended into was lit up by a soft amber glow from a bulb in the middle. It was pretty empty except for a few dusty shelves and a glass cabinet with three old scrolls in them.</p><p>"Behold, the scrolls of Pentralois. They depict maps of the ancient worlds." Kova's voice echoed through the metal room.</p><p>Nureyev pushed his sunglasses back on his nose. "How much do you want for them?"</p><p>"Oh, I think the ex Private Eye's head on my wall will suffice."</p><p>I heard the click on a gun barrel and felt cold metal press into the sides of my head. Damn it.</p><p>Kova's face looked even more sinister in the low light. "Did you really think I wouldn't notice the infamous Juno Steel sneaking around in my market? I know everyone who comes here. He's been an eternal pain in the ass on Mars for years now, and that's where all my best customers come from. You wanna know what they all had in common? Almost every single one of them complained about a noisy detective who didn't know how to mind his business. I was just hoping one day I'd be fortunate enough to receive a visit from him. Now, look where we are."</p><p>"Yeah, well you're wrong." I spat bitterly. "I'm not a Private Eye anymore. I quit after realizing no matter how much work you do, there are always ten more jobs that you didn't do."</p><p>Nureyev drew his blaster from his pocket in the corner. "Now, now Kexis. I'd hate to have to sponge your brains off the floor."</p><p>He chuckled a bitter laugh, pushing the gun harder against my skull. "Your empty threats don't scare me, Galliher, although I doubt that's your real name. One more movement and I'll fire three rounds into his skull."</p><p>"No need to be brash, Kova." I hissed.</p><p>My partner's expression was unreadable. "So what exactly is it that you want from us? Maybe we can negotiate."</p><p>"The only thing I want from you, Galliher, is what you've already brought me." The fire behind Kova's eyes let me know he was serious. All traces of his good boy mystique has burnt away with the inferno in his irises. "I have clients who would pay thousands of creds for Juno Steel's head."</p><p>Nureyev chuckled. "I knew you were naive but you're just further proving my point, Kexis. Has it occurred to you that Steel is a lot more valuable alive than dead?"</p><p>"Come again?"</p><p>I gritted my teeth. "Nureyev what are you-"</p><p>"Surely you do realize that an ex Private Eye is more valuable to you alive." I watched the complex look take over Nureyev's face. He seemed as sly as a fox; The glint in his eye getting laced with more malice intent with every passing second. I've seen this looking before so many times over. During the Grim's mask case or that strange poker game, I didn't understand for the Utguard Express. It was a scheming look; Something I knew him all too well for. That look had got me out of so many sticky situations. "I don't like to inflate his ego, he's already full of himself without my help-"</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>"-but he's very talented at what he does. Or rather, what he used to do. I must say I've never met someone so... dedicated to their craft. For you to kill him, it would be futile. He can earn you triple of what you'd get for his head."</p><p>I didn't know if he meant the words that he said or if this was just one of his mind tricks. Nureyev was always good at rambling. He had always been... Persuasive. Being persuasive was a very dangerous thing to go up against. He was always cocky with the way that he spoke, confident in the way that he held himself. I watched doubt creep into Kova's face.</p><p>He glared at Nureyev. "Drop your blaster."</p><p>"I'm afraid I can't do that, Kexis. If I do, what's stopping you from shooting both of us? It's merely in self-defence."</p><p>Kexis forced the gun barrel harder against the side of my head. I should feel his hand wrapping around the other side of my head. Maybe it was a security thing, making sure I wouldn't move. I was slowly slipping my hand under the slip in my dress, slowly reaching towards the gun strapped against my thigh. "Drop it or I'll blow a hole in the pretty little P.I's head. I see the way you look at each other, I don't know what you are but you're certainly... friendly."</p><p>Nureyev swung the pistol around in his fingers and pointed at the ground. "Fine, fine. No need to get testy." It dropped to the ground with an echoing clatter.</p><p>My hand curled around the handle of my gun. Slowly, I flicked it to stun before shooting Nureyev a look. He gave me a small nod.</p><p>Time seemed to slow down as I stomped on Kexis' foot. He howled in pain and reached for his comms. The device beeped before I shot him in the stomach. Above us, I heard the trapdoor slam close as Kexis' body hit the floor. Damn it!</p><p>"You heard that too, right?"</p><p>I nodded.</p><p>Quicker then I've ever seen him move, Nureyev scrambled up the ladder and banged on the trapdoor. He punched and he kicked but it just wouldn't budge. He shot at the lock, once, twice. But the lasers just bounced right off.</p><p>"HEY! LET US OUT OF HERE!"</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>"Damn it! I knew this was a trap!" I slumped down the wall, feeling the cool metal of the cellar press into my back. "You idiot, Nureyev! We should've never come down here!"</p><p>He jumped off the ladder and shot me a glare. "Well, what should I have done, Juno? Stunned him before we even got down here and blow our cover?! There are hundreds, if not thousands of people above us who would've been more than happy to kill anyone who even dares to look at Kexis the wrong way! At least now we can pocket the scrolls without any eyewitnesses. Until someone comes down to find their boss, we're trapped."</p><p>"We should've found a way around it!" I could feel my throat seizing up. Kexis Kova's chest was heaving, his body slumped over in the middle of the room. I didn't know if it was the overwhelming wave of emotion from earlier washing back or a whole new one; Either way, my body was reacting the same.</p><p>Nureyev's footsteps echoed through the room as he walked over to the glass case. "Part of being a good thief is going with the flow, Juno! Keeping hidden and being as trustworthy as possible and essential and you!... You're crying..."</p><p>I didn't notice until he said it. Sure enough, when I brought my hand to my cheek I felt them. Ha... I wasn't usually a crier.</p><p>Nureyev was now kneeling next to me. I could feel his hand on my arm and smell him. Damn that smell. The scent of this cologne haunted me for weeks as it lingered in my apartment. I used to beat myself up every day over that goddamn smell. Not a single night went by where I didn't consider the idea of hiring someone to clean my apartment just to get rid of it. Yet sometimes, it was nice. Maybe nice is the wrong word; More like bittersweet. There were more times then I could count on my fingers where I got drunk and passed out on the couch, ensnared by that smell. I can't say I missed it when it was gone. Yet here I was again, intoxicated by the smell, his smell. It was so familiar and comforting, like a cold blanket in the middle of snow-storm. Something about it made me feel safe and warm; Like home. "Does this have something to do with you running off earlier?"</p><p>I wiped my face with my sleeve. "I already told you it was nothing."</p><p>"Juno, please." His eyes were laced with sympathy. The way he looked at me was in likeness to the way someone would stare at a kicked puppy. I hated it. "We're gonna be stuck down here a while. The least you can do is talk to me. Communication, remember?"</p><p>"We're not on the Carte Blanche anymore, Nureyev! Talking about my feelings in your room is so different compared to some dirty underground bunker."</p><p>His hand met my cheek. I breathed in his scent. "Just help me understand, Juno. I want to know what's up with you. If I don't know what's going on in your head right now I don't know if I can trust you with the rest of this heist. You're so distracted and I need to know why."</p><p>"I-I can't."</p><p>"Do you really want me to start guessing? Is that where I need to go?"</p><p>I felt a lump forming in my throat. "Just drop it, Nureyev."</p><p>"You were shouting someone's name, Juno. What was it? Benjamin?"</p><p>"I SAID DROP IT!"</p><p>My voice seemed to echo off the wall what felt like a billion times and every single time it bounced back and hit me, I just felt more guilty. The anger in my voice, the anguish... It felt like it should've fallen into some kind of uncanny valley. That wasn't me, it couldn't be. Juno Steel is a lot of things but I never thought he was mean. I watched the features in Nureyev's face gradually shift. He seemed hurt and I couldn't say that I blamed him. He slumped down beside me and I lay my head against his shoulder. We sat there in silence for what could've been hours, just soaking in each other's presence. If someone had told me three months ago I would've had Peter Nureyev back, I would've scoffed in their face and insisted I didn't want him. Yet here he was, with his long, slender fingers entwined with mine.</p><p>He finally broke the silence. "I won't push you. I just want you to know you can trust me."</p><p>I sighed, feeling the bitter taste of bile bubbling in my stomach. "When I first met you, do you remember how I mentioned what happened to my brother?"</p><p>He nodded. I felt his hand squeeze mine tighter.</p><p>"His name..." My voice trailed off as my breathing hitched. "His name was Benzaiten. Benten for short. And I thought I saw him earlier, in the crowd, which is ridiculous because he's twenty years dead and I know that's stupid of me-"</p><p>"Juno..."</p><p>"-but I saw him, I actually saw him! He was there and then he wasn't so I had to run after him for even the slight chance it wasn't my imagination because if it wasn't I would never have forgiven myself-"</p><p>"Juno." Nureyev's voice was firm, not harsh. His words had to be laced with some kind of drug because as he spoke it felt like I was floating. Like candy, it was so sweet and gentle. His fingers traced my jawbone. "You do not need to apologize for yourself. We all get moments where all our rational side gets tossed out because of our wants."</p><p>"I just feel so stupid... But it was him, Nureyev! It looked exactly like him!"</p><p>"Now, now, that's enough of that." He cooed. "You're just gonna make yourself more upset."</p><p>I raised my head from off his chest to look him in the eye. God, those eyes. They were peppered with diamonds, so damn bright. Without even needing to think about it, I placed my hand on his cheek and pulled his face close. His lips were still as soft as silk, after all this time. I let myself melt into his embrace for a few minutes before I pulled away.</p><p>I laughed before I knew what I was doing. Nureyev shot me a look. "What?"</p><p>"There's something about you, Nureyev, that makes me so vulnerable." I smiled at him, feeling a fresh lot of tears welling up in my eyes. "I was so used to being invincible Juno Steel who can rely on nobody but himself until you came along. For the longest time, I didn't think there was anything in this galaxy worth saving, that there were too many monsters and tyrants that the good ones barely made up for it. And then I met you... I'm not bulletproof when it comes to you. Everything about you just intoxicates me to the point where you cloud all my thoughts. You're like a drug I'm hooked on and I have been since the moment I met you. Now here I am, crying in a black dress in the middle of an underground bunker because I've been dying to tell you this for the longest time. You are a gift, Peter Nureyev, one I truly don't deserve."</p><p>He sat there, mouth hanging open. "Juno, I-"</p><p>"Don't ruin the moment." I swallowed and wiped the tear streams off my face before snuggling myself against him. He just held me there, like I was a delicate doll that would break in his hands any second now. I can't say I blamed him.</p><p>The familiar creak of the trapdoor echoed throughout the bunker. Nureyev and I practically jumped apart and to our feet. We both drew our guns and he gestured for me to flank on the left as he crept towards the right.</p><p>Two people walked into the room. One of them had the second-biggest biceps I'd ever seen, second only to the other. They both carried guns that made ours look like toothpicks; Big things, old ones too. They probably used bullets instead of lasers.</p><p>"Oi, boss, you alive?"</p><p>"Well, he's breathing ain't he?"</p><p>Nureyev shot me a look of confirmation before we shot both of them in the back. A dirty trick, I know. But I think we were both sick of sitting around waiting for something to happen.</p><p>"You still got the scrolls?"</p><p>Nureyev smirked. "What do you take me for, an amateur?"</p><p>Together, we scramble up the ladder and out of that crammed and dirty cellar. The streets were still buzzing, the same crowds still packed in the building. I holstered my gun back into my thigh strap.</p><p>I scratched the back of my neck. "Where's the nearest exit?"</p><p>"Just up ahead. We've got this."</p><p>After a few twists and turns, weaving in and out of people, we finally reached the winding staircase that led to the surface. How Kexis Kova ever kept an underground bunker this structurally stable, I'll never know. The final security checkpoint was in front of us. We were almost home free, almost. That is until one of the security guards did a double-take after spotting us.</p><p>"Hey, you two! Hold it!"</p><p>I grimaced as I looked up at Nureyev, watching his jaw clench.</p><p>"Aren't you two the couple who went into the cellar with Boss?"</p><p>I watched Nureyev's face for any type of confirmation of a cover story. Even a simple yes or no answer would've done. But his expression was blank. It took him a few seconds to compose himself, maybe too long to avoid suspicion.</p><p>"Ah yes, you see my darling wife and I are really into vintage scrolls and Mr Kova was kind enough to show us his finest specimens. We'll be leaving now if you don't mind, gentleman."</p><p>They drew their guns and aimed at us. "I don't think so."</p><p>"Run for it!" I shouted as I got out my pistol.</p><p>Nureyev and I dodged their initial shots before we ran into the spiralling stairwell leading towards the top. I kept turning to return fire but with only one of my eyes, I didn't have the best depth perception. Every single one of my shots missed as the guards' ones were getting closer and closer to taking off my hair. There were so many goddamn stairs. For every single one I climbed, three more would appear.</p><p>"What do we do?!" I exclaimed.</p><p>Nureyev's face was clouded in stress and anger. I could see it in his eyes, he had no idea what we were supposed to do. For once, he was as clueless as I was.</p><p>Light began pouring down the stairwell. Almost there. Once we got to the surface, we'd be able to lose them. But I didn't know if we had enough time; Every shot they took was getting closer and closer to hitting us. My heartbeat was echoing in my eyes like the thundering steps bouncing off every wall. I was just praying that my heels wouldn't be the death of me.</p><p>My heels.</p><p>As quickly and as coordinated as I could be while running, I undid the strap of my heels and slid them off my foot.</p><p>Nureyev shot me a confused look. "Juno, what are you-"</p><p>"Cover me!"</p><p>He spun around and shot a couple of rounds towards our pursuers. I threw my shoes at them, one of them taking a hit straight to the head. He stumbled and landed on the stairs, face-first. Nureyev and I kept going. The entrance was just up ahead. As we stumbled into the daylight, a pressure released off my chest. Maybe we were gonna make it out of this.</p><p>"Over there!" He pointed to an abandoned motorbike propped up against the wall.</p><p>I felt the blood drain from my face. "Do you even know how to drive that thing?!"</p><p>"Would you rather get shot?!"</p><p>"Good point."</p><p>I gave Nureyev covering fire as he attempted to start the metal death-trap with two wheels. I tend to prefer my vehicles with something blocking me from the outside world. When the engine roared to life, I jumped on behind Nureyev, grabbing on tightly around his waist.</p><p>He shot me a smirk. "Hold on."</p><p>Shots continued over our heads as I buried my head into Nureyev's back. I could feel the wind whipping through my jacket and thrashing around my dress. I didn't dare look up because I didn't want to know where we going. Hell, I could barely hear myself think over the rumble of the engine. But I knew we were being followed the second another blast soared past my shoulder.</p><p>"Juno, mind taking care of them for me?"</p><p>"How?!"</p><p>"I don't know, maybe, shoot at them?!"</p><p>I huffed, drawing my gun. "Do me a favour and drive straight."</p><p>I knew this was stupid of me, probably the dumbest thing I've done to date, which is incredible because my name is Juno Steel. I pushed my feet up on the seat and balanced myself as much as I could on a slim, moving vehicle. I sat back down, my back pushed up against Nureyev's. There were two cars in pursuit of us; Both looked to have two people in them. I started firing but none of my hits landed. Guess being a sharp-shooter after losing your eye the second time and while you're on the back of a rickety death trap. I was frustrated. Everything I had done today had jeopardised the plan. From running off earlier to missing all my shots. Every mistake I made brought me one step closer to landing myself and Nureyev in a lot of trouble.</p><p>"Ugh, it's not working!"</p><p>"Just keep trying!"</p><p>"Easier said than done, Ransom."</p><p>"Now is not the time for sass, Juno." He turned around to shoot me a look.</p><p>"Oh really? I'm sorry that it's inconvenient for you but I'm a bit stressed out over here!"</p><p>"That is not my fault, you know."</p><p>"I'm fully aware of the fact, actually!"</p><p>"Juno, I swear there is a time and a place for this but right now-"</p><p>Nureyev was cut off by the sound of tires screeching in front of us. Both of us turned to see one a car stopped directly in front of us. Damn it! Nureyev slammed on the brakes in an attempt to slow us down but we were going to fast. The motorcycle, with us, attached, slammed into the side of the car. A throbbing pain exploded through the side of my head and I hit the ground.</p><p>I don't remember much after that. A blurred set of multiple boots walking around my head, muffled voices laughing. One of them picked me up and threw me back on the ground like a ragdoll.</p><p>"Juno... Juno!"</p><p>His voice.</p><p>"Juno, please wake up!"</p><p>Peter Nureyev. My light at the end of the tunnel. I reached out, tried to grab at the sound but my arms were like lead. I couldn't pry my eyelids open no matter how desperately I willed for it to happen. I could see his face, that damn smirk with his fox's teeth. I reached again but this time he disintegrated into the darkness. A wave rolled over me, forcing me into unconsciousness. Alone in my brain, yet again.</p>
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